Having To Commit
by ApplesBeyondTheWall
Summary: Returning to school as Head Girl, Hermione Granger finds herself intertwined in far more situations than the average girl can handle. Surely nothing too exciting could happen? After all, with the war over, she just needed to focus on her NEWTS and graduation, right? HG/DM HG/AG GW/NL LL/BZ Veela Dramione Post-War
1. Prologue

Having to Commit, ApplesBeyondTheWall,

Honey eyes filled with panic, frantically searched the hallways looking for an escape.

No.

An opportunity.

Her legs and feet ached with pain, from pushing towards her destination. Long, curly, champagne colored hair flew like a whirlwind behind her, knotting itself to the point that it would take hours to comb apart later.

She threw her head over her shoulder glancing for anyone chasing behind her, before slowing to a halt and leaning down on her knees and panting heavily.

'What have I gotten myself into.' She shook her head.

'Was it really a good idea to run away from the problem? She was Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age, and a devoted Gryffindor at that. Running away was not in her nature.'

"This is different, it's too much." She whispered

She knew she should not run from her problems, and it was something you should only do in a severe, unique situation. This however was a very severe situation.

Scratch that.

It was insane, unbelievable. She could forgive herself later, it was time to run.

Shakily she regained her breath and pushed herself into a standing position. Quickly slipping her wand out, she tapped it on her head, casting a Disillusionment charm over herself and stood statue still to listen to her surroundings. Hopeful that her mental debate hadn't slowed her down any.

After a few moments she sighed in relief, the coast was clear for now. She carefully began heading towards the Headmistresses' office, taking the time to stop and listen before continuing.

This is not how she expected her final year at Hogwarts's to transpire.

Even after everything she had been through, nothing could compare to this.

This entire situation was going to eat at her until she was devoured and no longer existing as the Hermione Granger everyone had grown to know.

Her heart pounded thinking about the boy she left behind, and was going to leave behind possibly forever. The relationship he proposed was never ending and full of something Hermione had yet to understand – everlasting love, possessive love. Something she was not ready to except. Then again, it was very possible that he was lying, he had been her enemy and rival for years. Maybe this was all a ploy to bed the Gryffindor Princess, just another button to add to his collection of the many girls, she had heard he had taken to bed.

Then again, no one could pull off a ploy this large, this dramatic. This was something else entirely, but still she was not ready to accept it, not ready to understand it. The way he had persuaded her body to react, her mouth to moan, her hands to touch, and her lips to respond. This was something outside of normal magic, not a ploy, something more sinister.

Shuddering she continued, 'just one more floor.'

"Hermione." A dark voice echoed through the long hall.

She froze, when had he gotten this close, too close, she should have heard his footsteps.

"Hermione! I know you are in this bloody castle somewhere!"

She prayed her disillusionment held, if he couldn't see her, he couldn't catch her.

"Mate come on out now, I know you're here." His voice became louder as he approached the corridor she was lingering in. This wasn't the man she had left in bed; this was the beast inside him.

The beast she had awakened.

This voice, no longer belonged to her childhood bully, it sounded fierce and profound as it echoed down the corridor. It was the voice of a monster, and a dangerous one at that.

"Mate you should not have left me; I am nowhere near finished with you. Come to me, and I might negotiate your punishment." A shiver shot up her back, he was in the corridor.

Taking a step backwards, Hermione tried to creep away without making any noise to alert him to her presence.

"I can smell you, me on you. I know you are close enough to hear me, my love." He took a glance in Hermione's direction before grinning and releasing a dark snarl.

She took a few more steps back and softly whispered "Silencio", charming her feet to make no noise against the cold, stone floor. Hastily she took one more step back and regretted not looking behind her instantly.

She fell to the ground with a thud and the clatter of crashing armor was not long after. With a silent shriek, she looked up to see the grey eyed beast had come closer, but had frozen at the impact of the armor.

He tsked before slowly approaching the armor and herself, at a stiff pace, struggling more with each step.

Hermione glanced up at his face, his eyes had changed, they were dark as the night sky and full of anguish and fury.

Suddenly, he froze, his eyes slammed closed and his eyebrows furrowed.

She waited no longer to hop to her feet and stumble away from him.

"Stop!"

She jumped in fright, and turned to see him slam himself into a wall and punching it, leaving blood dripping down the fractured stone.

He looked up at her, his eyes now cleared, seemed to plead with her, to stay and run, at the same time. As if he was struggling to make a decision.

"Hermione, please." Draco's voice cracked, as he began to straighten up, taking a step towards her.

"He's lost it" Hermione mutters before spinning around and dashing the remaining steps to the Gargoyle guarding the Headmistresses' office.

" _Citrum Occumbo_ "

She jumps on the steps and glances down the corridor again, his eyes still begged for her, but for what?

Shaking, she broke eye contact with him, as the stair case locked itself back into place.

'It was too late; this was too much. There was only one option for her now. To escape, to run, to flea.

Once at the top she burst into the office without knocking.

The Headmistress looked up from her desk in surprise.

"I'll do it." Hermione pushed out, panting heavily.

The headmistress nodded.

It was done.

She had escaped.

But for how long?


	2. Chapter One

Having to Commit, ApplesBeyondTheWall,

 _Late July, 1998_

 _Australia_

In the Australian Outback the burning sun looks down on the endless rugged land judgmentally, and without remorse. The wind breezes hot and dusty as it whips up small dirt tornadoes and drenches the minimal shrubbery with debris. However, during the winter months, the land was much worse for wear. It was a rugged, barren, and soulless land.

Life seems to be non-existent out in this endless plain, nothing moved, except for the wind, as it swept the dirt and sand around like a whip. During the day, the sun's unforgiving ray's lashed down, punishing the land. Though it was never enough to battle the below freezing temperatures. The land seems barren during the colder months, nothing but a coat of frost on the occasional hibernating plant.

Hermione Granger had sent her parents to Australia in hopes of them spending their time on a nice beach on the shoreline, where Australia seemed to be pleasant. Away from the Wizarding World, and its war. However, Monica and Wendell Wilkins seemed to like the idea of living in the smallest town they could find. As soon as she had coaxed them to the airport before wiping their current memories and replacing them with false ones, they began to converse of living off the land and in a small community. Something Hermione had not been aware they had ever wanted, maybe it had been a good idea after all, they would get to try something new, something that had not been achieved… because of something, her birth?

With a huff, she let go of the memory and focused on her task at hand. Finding the bloody town, they had moved to, she had placed a tracking spell on them before they had boarded the plane, but at some point it had weakened, before disappearing completely. Leaving Hermione alone, with now clue of where to find her parents. She only knew the general area of where they were currently located now. Somewhere in the south region of the Northern Territory, it could not be somewhere easy, now could it.

After the war had ended, she spent a week or two at Hogwarts to help rebuild not only the castle but the people as well. Some held private funerals for their loved ones, but a mass ceremony was held in the end, to honor everyone at once, equally.

Though Hermione had been offered several jobs immediately, she decided to put that aside, still needing to finish school. When she didn't accept any of the jobs offered, the Ministry of Magic dumped a large sum of money on her, to reward her for her part in the war. While she was not comfortable accepting the money at first, she finally decided it would be a good fund to help her find her parents.

However, this trip was slowly adding up. She was now on her second month of exile, as she wandered aimlessly around the Australian Outback trying to locate her long lost parents. Forgetting time, hunger and exhaustion, she pushed on, determined to find the only thing important to her anymore.

Suddenly she was forced out of her thoughts and onto the ground by an unknown force, she slowly opened her eyes and groaned out in pain. Looking behind her she found the culprit.

A rock.

Lovely.

Muttering curses to herself she rolled onto her back and stared up at the endless blue sky. How long had it been since she had slept? Ate? Seen any signs of life?

Her body and stomach ached from exhaustion. The rock may have been a culprit, but it was also a sign. It was time to rest.

She held her hand over her beaded bag, "Accio Hermione Granger's wand". With a sigh, she allows her magic to spread through her body before relaxing within her wand.

"Cave Inimicum," Hermione begins spreading wards over an area large enough for herself and a tent. "Protego Totalum, Salvio Hexia."

She glances up to find the sun setting, and quickly calls for the tent in her bag before charming it to set up itself. "Erecto."

With a grin the brunette casts a Disillusionment Charm over herself and then the tent, as she entered her 'home'.

It had taken four more days to find the town, and one more day to get the courage to enter it. With soft footsteps, the young, honey eyed girl pushed herself forward to the small group of stores and houses, she quickly decided to ask someone at the local store, rather than get caught going through all the houses.

A ding pulsed through the store, as Hermione pushed the door open with week arms. An old, wrinkly man was behind the counter and did not bother to look away from a small television on a chair near him.

Her irritation grew by the minute, when he still did not look up, once she had approached the counter. Slamming her bag on the counter top, she loudly coughs before trying to gain his attention. "Excuse me?"

He did not move, "Excuse me!"

The old man jumped slightly, and slowly turned towards her with a soft smile. "Sorry miss, I think I'm finally going deaf after all these years, that quiet bell isn't no use to me anymore." He moves towards her, "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Monica and Wendell Wilikins, do you know where they live?"

"I sure do, nice folks those two are, right friendly, my wife likes to invite them for dinner every Tuesday evening. Monica makes the best Fudge Brownies I've ever had," He takes a look towards a door in the back. "don't tell my wife that though."

This version of my mother cooks? She used to burn toast.

"They live in the red brick house, with the porch and white whicker chairs. Just follow this road, about a miles North." He glances at his watch. "Do you need help finding it? I've got plenty of time and nothing to do!" He chuckles.

"No that's fine, it's probably better if they meet me alone for the time being." Hermione politely replies.

The old man gives her a funny look. "If you're sure, I haven't heard from them in a couple of days, rather odd if you ask me. You can come sit around here to wait for them, if they aren't home."

"Thank you, I think I'll head out there, before the sun sets and it gets too cold to be out.

"Have a nice day." He waved before returning to the television.

The brunette takes one last look around the store, before exiting and heading North on the road. Once the grocery store is a few yards behind her, she pulls out her wand and cautiously begins to trail down the road looking for a red bricked house.

It stands small between some shrubbery and a small garden that seems to be fading away under the winters harsh winds. Quietly she tucks her wand up her sleeve, and approaches the front door, then softly knocks on the screen.

"Hello?" Nothing.

She knocks harder, then waits a few moments, not a single sound comes from the house, it's too quiet.

Hermione makes her way around the house and finds a back door, its unlocked. Looking into the house she finds herself in a long hallway that leads to a living room and kitchen, both are empty and several things are scattered on the ground, including a broken coffee mug. Dread fills her body and she hastily turns back to the hallway and opens a door to find an empty bathroom.

"Wendell? Monica?" She shouts and tries opening the other doors, nothing but empty closets and a Guest Bedroom. There's one door, attempting to push it open, she finds the first locked door in the entire house.

"Alohomora" The lock clicks and she roughly shoves the door open.

With a gasp, she flings her hands over her mouth as a sob racks her body.

There is blood, everywhere, on the walls, floor, and furniture.

The distinct smell of rotting flesh reaches her nose and mixes with the smell of iron found in blood.

Tears slip down her face, as Hermione finds the source of the blood. Her parents lie dead, beaten, their heads and fingers severed, with their intestines hanging out of their bodies. They had been tortured.

Her body heaves, and she spins around slamming the door behind her, quickly yanking on her wand she sobs out "Expecto Patronum" before sending a message to Harry.

Tears fall down her face as she rushes to the bathroom and dry heaves into the toilet.

She lays her head down on the toilet seat and weeps.

A silver stag loops threw the wall next to her, and she hears Harry's voice, but does not comprehend it. With a parting glance the stag vanishes, and she pushes herself off the floor making her way to the front porch to get away from the gruesome scene.

Honey eyes flicker open and glance out around her, it could have been hours or minutes, she could no longer tell.

What had woken her?

She roughly rubs her eyes, then freezes. "Hermione!"

She snaps up before grasping her wand tightly in her hand.

"Hermione! Where are you!" She recognizes Harry and Ron's voices drifting towards her.

"I'm here!" The brunette yells, running into the street to see several men in cloaks approaching her.

"Hermione!" Ron calls out and rushes towards her, as she collapses onto the ice cold pavement.

With Harry not far behind, he reaches down and pulls Hermione into his arms, brushing golden hair out of her face.

Harry reaches them, "Hermione! Where are they? What has happened?"

Her chest heaves and her body shakes in Ron's lap, "Th-They're dead, in the bedroom! There is just blood, it's everywhere.", she sobs into Ron's shirt.

Harry signals the remaining aurors into the house before helping Ron lead Hermione back onto the porch and into a chair. "I'll be right back."

Ron brings Hermione into his lap and whispers words of comfort into her ears, as he wipes tears from her eyes. "It's going to be alright, Hermione. Whoever did this will pay."

She slightly swats his leg, sobbing. "No its not! So many have died! The war is over; we should be rebuilding our population not continuing this violence."

Loud footsteps come rushing out of the house, Harry's face is as white as a ghost. "I'm so sorry Hermione." He gasps, before leaning over the porch and vomiting into a bush beside the house.

He stands pack up, "We need to get out of here, and report back to the Ministry, take Hermione to St. Mungo's."

He helps Hermione up, and kisses her temple softly, "We'll find who did this, the aurors are staying behind to search the house."

"I'm fine, I do not need to go to Mungo's." Hermione whispers leaning into Harry.

"You look dehydrated and exhausted, 'Mione" Harry looks down at her, "You're going and that is final."

She smiles softly and mutters "Thank you" Before passing out in Harry's arms.

"You ready Ron?"

"Yeah, I will meet you at Mungo's, I am going to get mom and Ginny." With a pop he is gone.

Harry picks up Hermione in his arms before popping away from the freezing environment of Australia and to the wet and cold apparition zone inside St. Mungo's. Walking quickly to a desk in the front, Harry clears his throat.

"Name?" The healer doesn't glance up.

"Hermione Granger." The witch gasps and looks up.

"She's bac-" She freezes before apparating away and returns with another Healer, who quickly removes Hermione from his arms and whisk her away down the hall.

Behind him a group of footsteps echo down the hall, "Harry!" he turns around to find the Weasley's rushing in his direction.

"Where's Hermione?"

"What's happened?"

"Is she alright?"

Harry holds one of his hands up to silence the babbling group, "I don't know, they just took her and ran off that way." He points down the hallway.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter 2

 _Late July, 1998_

 _St. Mungo's, Britain_

'Beep'… 'Beep'... 'Beep'

The noise comes back first.

Hermione could hear the beeping from medical equipment. The pitter-patter of footsteps passing, and entering her room. The humming and soft words from the nurses nearby. Then the chitter chatter from visitors; Harry, Ron, and Ginny's voices seemed the most prominent, and often.

Next came the touches, gentle finger tips run up and down her arms, lips are pressed against her forehead, and the warmth of someone holding her hand.

How long had it been? Hours? Days? Weeks?

She needed to wake up

But for what?

Her parents were gone, what did she have left?

"She was gone for so long, she looks like hell, it's no wonder she's still sleeping." Mrs. Weasley's boisterous voice drifted in to her conscience. Who else were here?

Someone touched her forehead, "She isn't running a fever anymore, and her vitals have improved, she could wake up any moment now." Hermione heard the noise of a pencil scratching down words. A nurse maybe.

"I wouldn't blame her if she never woke back up, I'm glad you weren't with us Ginny, it was gruesome, Yaxley will pay for what he's done." Harry spoke up

Her parents.

Her muggle parents she had sent away.

She has spent months searching for them, only to learn she would never see them again.

Yaxley? Was he responsible for her parent's deaths? She needed to wake up, she needed answers.

"Don't talk like that Harry, she'll wake up, you'll see." Ginny's sad voice reprimanded Harry, a hand gripped tighter onto Hermione's.

She tried to grip it back, to squeeze, any flicker of moment would be good enough.

Yaxley would pay, but for now she needed to rest, she let herself fade back into the darkness.

 _Several hours later_

She could see something, a light, it was small, but it was there. It was bright, and pulsing.

She felt her eyes flicker, she tried moving her hands once again, successfully feeling it twitch in response.

The light was getting brighter. What was it?

She willed her body to move, her eyes to open. It had been too long; she was wasting time.

Someone was coming, footsteps grew louder as they approached her room. Only one set, loud clumsy footsteps, Ron.

She heard him sigh, and the scrape of a chair being pulled towards her bed.

He gripped her hand, and she felt the faint impression of lips on her forehead.

Something wet fell on her check.

Was he crying?

She heard a sniffle, and felt him brush the liquid off her cheek.

Another set of footsteps approached them, soft this time.

"Crying all over her isn't going to help her, Ron." She heard Ginny sigh.

"It's my fault she's like this, I should have gone with her. I should have known." Ron whispered.

"You couldn't have known she was going to run off to a desert in the middle of winter, Ron."

"I should have gone with her anyways, after we kissed I didn't know what to do and hid from her. I should have stayed by her side, I could have helped her, maybe we could have saved her parents." Ron shifted in his chair, and squeezed her hand.

"There was nothing you could have done Ron; they had been dead for days." Hermione felt Ginny sit on the bed.

"I know, Ginny! I just love her, and now she might never wake up! I wasted so much time, by hiding from her after the battle." Ron spoke with a unsteady voice.

She couldn't listen to this anymore, the kiss after the battle had been a fluke, a complete fluke. Previously she had fancied being in love with him, but she was wrong. She had felting nothing, she assumed his absence had meant he felt nothing as well.

God, what had she gotten herself into.

As more tears fell on her, she tried to flex her hand, she needed to wake up.

"Hermione?" Ron's voice turned hopeful.

"What is it?" Ginny moved off the bed.

They had noticed something, had her hand moved?

The light grew brighter, and she willed her eyes to open.

The noises suddenly seemed much louder as her body tried to wake itself up.

"Her eyes just flickered!" Hermione heard Ginny shout, it was working.

"I felt her hand twitch a second ago, Ginny." Ron's voice warmed up. "Hermione, can you hear us?"

"Go get Harry and the others, Ron I'll watch her." Ginny's voice no longer sounded sad, returning to its normal gleeful pitch.

Ron released her hand, and she heard his footsteps retreat out of the room with purpose.

"Hermione, are you there, try to clench my hand." Ginny pleaded, as she took Hermione's hand.

Hermione focused on her hand and grasped Ginny's.

At Ginny's gasp, she knew it had worked.

She felt her eyes twitch and the light grew brighter.

Several sets of footsteps ran down the hallway and towards her room. She heard Ron updating them.

"Ginny, is it true, she moved?" Mrs. Weasley's voice filled the room.

Finally regaining feeling to her body, she forced he eyes open and was blinded by the light above her.

"Hermione!"

As her eyes adjusted, she saw the outline of Harry above her, his dark hair and features slowly filling in.

Finally.

"H-Harh" Her voice cracked and her throat burned.

"Get the healer!" Harry shouted before shushing Hermione. "Don't strain yourself, we'll get you some water."

An unfamiliar face appeared above her next to Harry. "Hermione? Can you see us?" The healer asked. "Blink one for yes, twice for no."

Hermione blinked.

"Its July 29th, you've been asleep for a week now, can you speak?" The healer checked her vitals and spoke to her as he checked the monitors.

"W-water" Hermione forced out, grimacing at the pain in her throat.

 _August 4, 1998_

 _The Burrow_

A few days had passed since Hermione has woken, and the healers had finally her from their care, and into Harry and Ron's. Much to her disposition; she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She did not want to be looked after by Harry and Ron, especially after his confession.

"I'm grown women, stop coddling me!" She huffed, and tried to shake Harry's grip off of her arm. "I can walk by myself just fine, I'm not going to run off again."

"Hermione," Harry whined, shaking his head. "the healer, specifically said not to let you move around on your own yet. You may have only been out for a week, but your body is still trying to recover from your fieldtrip in Australia."

"It wasn't a field trip." She bit back, with a huff she yanked her arm out of his grip, and plopped down on the couch. "I'm fine."

Harry shot her a look, and fell on the couch next to her. "How long were you out there exactly?"

"The entire time I was gone, as soon as I received the money from the Ministry, I made the plans." She rested her head on his shoulder. "If I had known they were out that far, I would have made better preparations."

"You could for asked for help, 'Mione."

"I know, but they're my parents, and my responsibility. Besides you and Ron were caught up in your auror training."

They sat in silence for a few moments, it was nice to be back, she had missed her other family. I guess she wasn't completely along after all, Hermione softly smiled.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry nudged her

"I'm happy to be home."

"Of course you're happy to be home Hermione!" Ginny bounded in the room, and sat on the other side of Hermione. "You missed me the most, right?"

Hermione chuckled as Ginny wrapped her arms around her, and pulled her away from Harry.

"Ron missed you too." She whispered into her ear.

Hermione shook her head at Ginny.

Ron, she had been avoiding him, or being alone with him, since his confession in the hospital, whether he thought she heard him or not, she wasn't going to say anything. They could cross that bridge when they come to it. He was like a brother to her, and always had been, she just didn't know it at the time.

Bloody hell, why did she kiss him!

She groaned internally.

The next morning Hermione expected to wake up to the sound of yelling and thundering footsteps, as they raced down the stairs to breakfast. But instead, it was quiet, almost eerily quiet. With a yawn, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, and glanced at Ginny, who appeared to be fast asleep.

Sighing, she laid back down, and tried to go back to sleep.

No such luck, it was too quiet.

Where was everyone?

Getting out of bed, she stepped into house shoes and wandered down the hall into the bathroom to brush her teeth, before heading downstairs.

Faintly she could here Mrs. Weasley rummaging in the kitchen, and the soft hum of music.

The noises grew louder as she approached the kitchen, "Good Morning." She greeted Mrs. Weasley who seemed to have sensed her arrival.

"Good morning, Hermione. How did you sleep?"

"Good, sleeping in a bed is a lot comfier than a cot." She chucked. "Is there any tea?"

"Yes, dear. Sit down, I'll pour you a cup." Mrs. Weasley began to hum as she scurried around the kitchen.

"Where is everyone? It's quiet." Hermione asked, pulling out a chair to sit down.

"Gone," Mrs. Weasley turned around with a smile. "Quiet is good. Arthur is at work, Ron and Harry have auror training, Ginny sleeps late most days, and the rest of the boys have moved out."

"So much has changed since I left." Hermione looked down.

"Everything changes, all the time dear. You just have to keep up." Mrs. Weasley poured two cups of tea and sat down next to Hermione, passing her a letter. "This came in the mail this morning."

Hermione sipped her tea before reaching for the letter.

It bore the Hogwart's seal, what could they want with her now?

It suddenly hit her, that she hadn't finished school! With a gasp, she tore open the letter.

' _Hermione Granger,_

 _I am pleased to announce that Hogwart's facility is fully up and running,_

 _just in time for the new school year. I know you chose to decline any job_

 _offers, so I would like to invite you to finish your 7_ _th_ _year here at Hogwart's._

 _Below is a list of all the things needed for your 7_ _th_ _year. The students who_

 _Do chose to come back and finish their education will be classified as 8_ _th_

 _years, and will not be grouped together with the current 7_ _th_ _years._

 _Please send a letter back to register your enrollment for the year,_

 _if you do choose to come back._

 _Also, if you do choose to come back, you have been chosen to_

 _serve as this year's Head Girl. More details will be given if and after_

 _you enroll._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Headmistress McGonagall_

Hermione had completely forgotten about school, well the fact that she had never graduated. Did she want to go back? To relive the life of a student, she no longer was?

Something heavy weighed down her hand, the Head Girl badge. She fingered the soft silver surface that was engraved with the Head Girl symbol.

They were going to separate the 8th years from the 7th years.

What harm could it do to go back to school. She wasn't quite ready to branch off into a real job, maybe Hogwart's was what she needed.

She looked up at Mrs. Weasley, "Is Ginny going back?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled softly, "Even if I told her no, she wouldn't listen."

Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all.

 _August 6_ _th_ _, 1998_

 _Diagon Alley_

It had been so long since Hermione had been around this many people. Diagon Alley was crammed with students shopping for supplies, new robes, and brooms. It seemed that everyone had decided to do their shopping on the same day as her.

Ron, Harry and Ginny had tagged along on the trip, but Hermione had lost them while they were looking at brooms. She had things to do after all.

First things first, she needed new robes, tucking her list away in her pocket, she wove her way around and to Madam Malkin's Robes.

"Well if it isn't Hermione Granger!" Madam Malkin moved towards her. "Here for something special? Maybe a dress?"

She shook her head. "No, just some robes for school."

"If you say so, right this way!"

Hermione left the shop a few hours later with several sets of robes, that were 'just the right fit' according to Madam Malkin, who had shuddered when Hermione tried to grab a size to large.

Next she would need some potion supplies. She shuffled towards her destination.

"Hermione!" Hermione cringed, as she heard the familiar voice approach her. Ron.

Great

Just Great

There was nowhere to hide now.

With a sigh, she forced a smile and turned to him. "Hey Ron! Where are Harry and Ginny?"

"They ran off when I had my back turned, I don't think I want to know where they are." He shuddered. "Where are you headed?"

This day was not going as planned.

A few hours later, the pair collapsed into a booth at the ice cream parlor.

"Why do you need so much stuff 'Mione." Ron groaned as he pushed her bags under the table.

"Because I am Head Girl, I need to be prepared Ronald!" Hermione huffed.

Boys, they never understand do they!

"What flavor do you want?" Ron stood up and motioned to the counter.

"Vanilla."

"Suit yourself," Run shrugged, unimpressed by her bland choice.

Where was Ginny and Harry, Ron was starting to act weird. While they were shopping, he had insisted on carrying all of her bags. It was cute a first, until she realized what he was up to.

Hermione gazed outside, there were plenty of girls out there, he would be fine.

"Here you go, Hermione." Ron sat back down in the booth, passing her ice cream to her.

She reached for her purse. "How much do I owe you?"

He looked taken back, as he shook his head. "Nothing, don't worry about." Looking like a kicked puppy, he started eat.

Hermione watched wide-eyed as he inhaled what looked to be a scoop of every ice cream flavor they had. She had forgotten about his lack of table manners, how had she looked past that all the previous years.

After finishing her ice cream, she pulled out her want and shrunk her bags small enough to slide into her beaded bag.

"You still have that?" Ron wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Yes, and it's still in perfect condition." She eyed his messy appearance. "Come on, it's getting late. Maybe Ginny and Harry already went back."

They left the shop and walked to the apparition point, but before she got the chance to apparate Ron grabbed her risk.

"Hermione, wait."  
"What Ron, it's getting late, quick messing around."

Instead of talking, he pulled her towards him and kissed her.

Nothing, she felt nothing. Except for the slobber he was applying to her face.

"Ron, stop!" She pushed him away and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "What happened after the final battle was a mistake."

He looked forlorn as he grasped for words. "But… Hermione, I love you."

"What happened after the battle was an impulsive decision, one that I regret. I'm sorry Ron, I don't feel that way about you, kissing you helped me realize I never saw you as anything other than a brother." She gripped her wand, and apparated away, breaking away from him before she could see the pain in his eyes.


	4. Chapter Three

Having to Commit, ApplesBeyondTheWall

 _Malfoy Manner_

 _August 3, 1998_

The sun shone softly through the glowing wards that hovered around Malfoy Manner, and created a serene scene of peace and beauty within the Manner's exterior. The gardens were always sparkling with perfection, and not a flower was ever out of place. The garden seemed to house every flower that had ever been found, from the ornate Gillyflower, to the delicate orchids, thousands of leaves and petals stretched across the acres of land surrounding the manner.

The Manner itself stood tall within the grounds, large, quaint, but threatening. It stood strong, and mysterious, looming over the colorful gardens. No outsider would dare question its authority or guess at the secrets held within.

Draco chucked darkly to himself, no one had any idea what really went on inside Malfoy Manner. Before and after the war, the Manner was always more sinister than it seemed.

Though with his father in prison, and his mother away traveling, it had grown to be more bearable. The silence helped him clear his head, after all with so many decisions to make, he needed time to think.

Tossing the covers off the bed, Draco gave up on sleeping anymore and began to pace around his room. He did have a lot of decisions to make, alone, without his parents dictating him. He sighed and pressed his forehead onto one of the bed posts.

His body now changed, was pulsing and vibrating with its new found power. A power that came with an even darker price.

 _June 6, 1998_

 _The moon was full, and high in the sky, bright enough to shine a soft light into Draco's room. The light shown on the bed, as Draco lashed around in is bed, groaning in pain. His body had been aching the past week, but nothing compared to the agonizing pain slashing through him tonight. This was something worse, something sinister. Had he been cursed?_

 _He closed his eyes and bit his tongue, as his body arched off the bed with a pulse of excoriating pain that rivaled any of the Cruciatus Curse he had received. Sweat gleamed on his body, in the soft moon light, his hair stuck to his face, damp with sweat and tears. He rolled on his side and let out a scream. His body rocked with the waves of pain, pain that seared into his body. Pain that felt like the shredding of muscles, and the shattering of his bones. It was as if his body was re-writing itself, down to the very core. He felt pressure on his back below his shoulder blades, before the skin ripped open and something began to protrude from his back._

 _How long had it been since this pain had taken over, it seemed to be never ending, and it did not show remorse. How long would he lay here, alone and in pain?_

 _After what seemed like hours, the pain began to waver, the screaming stopped, and jerking of his limbs slowed. His room was dark, signaling the end of the day._

 _As he lay there in the dark, a sliver of a light shown onto his bed, he heard a door open. His mother calmly entered his bedroom, and approached him, carrying something in her hand. A look of sorrow and guilt etched into her face, as she cautiously approached him._

" _Mother?" Draco rolled towards her, crying out in pain as his muscles flexed from the movement._

 _Shushing him, she held the back of his head, and slipped a potion in his mouth._

" _This will help, the pain won't go away, but it will dull it." Narcissa spoke softly._

 _Draco gasped in breaths, regaining control over his body. He looked his mother in the eye, "What is this? What's wrong with me!" He shouted, grimacing at the pain in his throat, scrunching his eyes closed._

 _She shook her head at him, and her mouth quivered._

" _Mother! Tell me? Did father do this? Did he curse me!?" He pleaded with his mother, looing her in the eyes._

" _It's not a curse, Draco. It's in your blood." She held his hand, and rubbed his forehead. "It came from my side of the family, you don't have much, but just enough for it to activate."_

" _What is it, mother?" Draco grasped her hand._

" _You're a Veela, Draco. And it's going to get a lot worse than this."_

 _August 3, 1998_

He hadn't gotten much sleep since that night, the aching faded eventually, as he grew into his new body. A body he had grown to hate.

Being a Veela had brought him many new experiences, his senses had improved first. He could smell the lilies in the back garden on the other side of the house, or when someone was approaching. Every shimmer, wrinkle, and speck of dust was visible to his now dark eyes. The world seemed vibrant and detailed, much to his distaste.

Taste had a new meaning to it, it came in different layers, and the textures of foods seemed much more complex. He seemed to be able to taste the air, and anything it brought with it, the heat, the cold, and the perfume from the flowers. At the Manner it wasn't so bad, but when he had visited London for potion supplies the previous week, he could taste the smoke, smell every filthy child, and see the dust that covered the displays.

His body had adjusted accordingly, his muscles filing out to match his now incredible strength. A strength that had almost cost him his wand, it had taken him weeks to adjust to it. After busting countless toothbrushes and tableware, Draco began to gain control of it.

After waking, Draco also found the pressure under his shoulder blades were wings. They had startled him at first, long, dark, and taunting, they hung from his back immobile, but with the sensitivity of a fingertip. With every feather, he could feel the air around him, and the energy as it flexed around his wings. After reading he had found, they would return to his body, after a few days. Only to return when caught in a dire situation.

After waking, he spent hours in the Malfoy library digging up every textbook and diary he could find, the deeper he read, the deeper his new problem grew. Veela males were rare, almost extinct due to the selective mating process, so there only seemed to be outdated information. Narcissa had made things easier on him, giving Draco her personal record of Veela's, but the lives of male Veela's were much harsher and complicated.

As he was adjusting to his new powers, he began to notice the difference, the pull, the need to search.

For Her.

His Mate.

His body was only re-written for one reason, to find his mate, and protect her. His strength was to protect her, and his senses to find her.

And he had no idea who she was.

Draco sighed, brushing his hair to the side, it had been a long summer. He had fought with himself at first, at the idea of being tied down to one women, outside of his willpower.

But without her he would die, was the idea worth sacrificing his life? After he had spent July pondering the dilemma, he made his decision.

Now two months after his birthday, his body began to ache again, ache with the need to be with his mate, to find her. He only had a year before his body would begin to deteriorate, though his body was now improved, he was still human, and a human body can only take so much.

He needed to find her, and soon.

Draco had read in one of the old diaries, that after about nine months, his Veela would take over his body's soul, and Draco would have to fight it in order to stay 'awake'.

"Draco, darling." Narcissa chimed from behind him. "You shouldn't stay cooped up in here all day, you're not going to find your mate hiding in the Manner's library."

"Mother." Draco drawled out, shooting her a look. "I'm trying to understand how to find her."

He sighed, and flopped backwards onto the couch. "Even if I do find her, I need to know how to guide her too me."

"You can figure that out as you go, Draco! If you don't find her soon, your Veela will find her for you, and it won't end well for anyone." Narcissa huffed, swishing her wand and waving the books away.

"It's time for you to leave the Manner and find her, and I found the perfect opportunity!" His mother grinned, dropped an envelope in his lap.

He faintly heard the door click close, had he tried to understand what exactly was in his lap.

Hogwart's seal was on the letter, broken open by his mother, but it was definitely the Hogwart's seal.

What could they possible want with him, after everything he had done to the school, to Dumbledore. He hadn't had anything to do with them since the mass funeral after the final battle. Surely this was a mistake, he had betrayed them, let Death Eaters onto the grounds, and lead to Dumbledore's death. There was no way they didn't know everything that had transpired, everything that he had caused.

Draco slipped his finger into the envelope, feeling a sting, he retracted his finger, and watched as a drop of blood spattered onto the envelope. His body was still human; he was still human. He wanted to stay human.  
He pulled out the letter,

' _Draco Malfoy,_

 _I am pleased to announce that Hogwart's facility is fully up and running,_

 _just in time for the new school year. I would like to invite you to finish_

 _your 7th year here at Hogwart's. Below is a list of all the things needed_

 _for your 7th year. The students who do chose to come back and finish_

 _their education will be classified as 8_ _th_ _years, and will not be grouped_

 _together with the current 7th years. Please send a letter back to register_

 _your enrollment for the year, if you do choose to come back._

 _Also, you have been selected to be this year's Head Boy._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Headmistress McGonagall_

No wonder, his mother had been ecstatic.

Could he go back? After everything that had happened his last year there.  
It would be the perfect opportunity to find his mate, to stay alive. If anyone was going to be his mate, it would be someone he had spent a considerable amount of time with. After all his years at Hogwart's there was no better place to find her, it beat lurking around Diagon Alley.

Draco grinned, dropped the letter onto the couch and stood. He had plans to make.

 _Zambini Residence_

 _August 6_ _th_ _, 1998_

"Veela? You?" Blaise Zambini eyes widened with shock, he shook his head with disbelief. "No, way man! Male Veela's went extinct decades ago."

Blaise Zambini was an idiot. A cunning, and intelligent idiot, but still an idiot.

Over the years, Draco had grown fond of him, at first Blaise was nothing more than an annoyance. The first few years of school he had followed Draco around like a lost puppy, constantly chattering about his mother's latest husband, or the new broom he had received. It wasn't until Fifth year that Draco final befriended the boy. With his other fellow Slytherin's obsessed with Voldemort, and following in their parents footsteps, Draco had found companionship in Blaise, whom had no connection to the Death Eaters. Blaise was safe, trustworthy, and would did not judge Draco.

However, Blaise was still an idiot.

Draco sighed, raking his fingers through his loose blonde hair, and stood up. "Look whether you believe me or not, I have preparations to make. I just thought my 'friend' would like to know what was going on."

"Sit down." Blaise rolled his eyes and shifted in his seat. "It's just a lot to take in, it's not every day your mate tells you he's a magical creature."

"Don't make it sound like I'm some kind of bloody unicorn." Draco tossed a couch cushion at Blaise.

"Who's a unicorn?" A familiar voice bellowed through the room, as Theodore Nott stepped through the door.

Theodore Nott just like Blaise, hadn't always been a friend. However, the two boys only had that in common. Theo was withdrawn, and wasn't swayed by his peers or parents. He had been one of the first Slytherin's to step out of his parent's shadow and away from Voldemort. It was his solitude that had drawn Draco in, they spent many nights studying in the common room in complete silence, much to Blaise's dismay.

Blaise snickered "Draco is!"

Theodore grinned, and slapped Draco's shoulder, before dropping onto the couch next to him. "I always knew there was something different about you."

"Shut it, you tosser's." Draco grumbled, and slumped further into the couch. "I'm a Veela, not a unicorn, there is a difference."

"Not really mate, sorry to break it to you but your sole purpose in life now is to find your soul mate, and spend the rest of your life with them. Sounds like a gay romance novel to me." Blaise looked sympathetically at Draco.

"What?" Theodore looked between his two friends. "Since when have you been a Veela, I thought Veela's were girls."

Draco huffed and stood up from the couch, enough was enough, he was not going to sit here and be ridiculed. "I have things to do today, you wankers, are you going to sit here and gossip like girls or come with me?"

"Oh come on Draco, we're just playing." Blaise stood up from his seat. "Come on Theo, we're going to Diagon Alley, I'll fill you in on the way."

 _Diagon Alley_

"So let me get this straight, you die if you don't find this girl-"

"Or boy!" Blaise cut in

"Would you let me finish my bloody sentence!" Theo huffed and pushed Blaise to the side. "If you don't find this girl before your birthday, you die? Just like that, on the dot."

Draco sighed, they had spent the last hour walking around Diagon Alley in search for school supplies, and the two boys were still pestering him. "No, Theo."

"Then what happens?" Theo whined, "It can't be that bad, if you don't die, maybe you don't need to find her after all!"  
"I didn't say I would not die, it just takes some time, there's not a lot of information about it left. It will probably take a few weeks or so after my birthday. The timer towards my death started the day by Veela activated, if I don't find my mate, my body will slowly deteriorate from the strain of being apart from here."

"Well in that case, your mother was right, Hogwart's would be the best place to start."

"Yes, but just because the professors have accepted us back, does not mean the student's will." Blaise added in. "We'll have to play nice, if we want to stay."

"Let's just hope your mate is in Slytherin." Theo pondered, "If not, you're screwed."

"At least with you being Head Boy, you'll have access to everything, and everyone." Blaise winked at Theo. "Which being your best mates, we'll have access to everything as well."  
Blaise and Theo had some good points, he would have to be on his best behavior, especially with being Head Boy. Though with the added duties, he wasn't sure how much free-time he would have to look for his mate. Draco tuned them out and glanced back down at his list, he still needed some potion supplies, and new robes. He lifted his gaze back to Diagon Alley and spotted Madam Malkin's Robes, a Malfoy would never wear old robes.

Draco walked towards the shop, with Blaise and Theo in tow. Diagon Alley had changed, but Madam Malkin's seemed the same as ever.  
"Your mother told me you would be stopping in." Madam Malkin, stepped out of one of the dressing rooms. "It's been too long, Draco."

She motioned for him to a dressing room, "You two wait there, don't mess with anything." She gave Theo and Blaise a pointed look. "Trouble-makers those two." She grinned at Draco.

Draco didn't have time for chit-chat, "I need new robes for school." He cut her off and stepped into the fitting room to be measured.

Madam Malkin huffed, and swished her wand, summoning a measuring tape. "Nothing else for you? Dress robes? Or shoes?"

Dress robes wouldn't hurt, he had grown since the previous year, his new body would need new things. He wasn't just moping at home anymore, he had an appearance to put on.  
"Go ahead and take measurements for a set of dress robes, I don't have a preference on style, surprise me."

Madam Malkin smiled brightly at the young wizard, "Just a moment, I have just the thing!" She left the room.

As the door swept closed behind her, a rush of air was flushed into the room.

What was that?

Draco closed his eyes, it was faint, but it was there. Honey and citrus.

He inhaled deeply, pulling the scent in, a perfume perhaps?

No, this didn't have the chemical smell afterwards. It was a pure, sweet scent.

Draco opened his eyes and shook his head, whatever it was it was gone. He didn't have time for silly things like this.

He had preparations to make, after all.


	5. Chapter Four

_September 1_ _st_ _, 1998_

 _The Burrow_

The sun shone softly through the window left of Hermione's bed, she laid in bed and let the soft sun rays dance on her skin. The last few weeks had been interesting, thankfully the boys had their own flat, so seeing Ron had been minimal. She missed them though, their old relationship, being back at the burrow brought back memories. Memories of long days filled with games and chatter between the two of them. Harry had only contacted her once, since the ordeal. Either he was busy with his new training, or had chosen Ron's side. Either way, the three of them had grown apart since the final battle.

They were adults now.

Hermione had felt alone at first, but grew close to Ginny while staying at the Burrow. Though Ginny still seemed to be a boy-chasing teenager, she had grown up, and the two girls had found a good balance in companionship.

Hermione rolled over and glanced at the bed across the room. Ginny was sleeping peacefully, and snored softly, without a care in the world. Scars from the war forgotten, as she escaped the real world. Sighing, Hermione pushed herself off the bed, if only it was that easy for her. When she wasn't awake, her dreams were haunted with nightmares. Nightmares of the war, and now of her parents. She had lost so much.

"Stop being depressing; you're ruining my beauty sleep." Ginny moaned, pulling the blanket over her head. "I can hear your thinking from here."  
Hermione grinned, "You cannot! I was just getting up. Come on, it's time to get up anyways." She waved her wand, and banished Ginny's blanket from the room.

"Girls! Get ready, the train isn't going to wait for you!" Mrs. Weasley's voice bellowed from down the hall.

A few hours later, Hermione and Ginny found themselves on 9 ¾ platform among a crowd of familiar faces. The platform was filled, with students, and parents as they said their good byes. Hermione felt out of place among the families, though her parents had ever been able to see her off, the scenes before her reminded her of their absence.

As if reading her mind, Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and squeezed it, "Let's go find a seat."

As the two girls walked towards the train, Hermione noticed the noise grew quieter.

"Is that her?"

"Look! It's Hermione Granger!"

"I thought she had given up magic?"

"Isn't that Harry Potter's friend!"

The whispers followed her as she stepped onto the train, she had never been subject to these kinds of things before. It was always Harry's thing, but with the boys missing, and her being the only Trio member to return to school, it seemed the attention would shift to her. Great, just what she needed.

"Don't mind them Hermione, they don't have anything better to do." Ginny shot a group of first years a look, and silenced their gossiping, as the girls walked through the train.

"Hermione! Ginny!" A familiar face, stuck out of one of the carts. "In here!"  
The girls stepped into the doorway. Hermione smiled, as she took in the familiar faces of Luna, Lavender, Dean, Neville, Seamus, and the Patil twins. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad afterwards.

"They act like we're bloody famous or something, damn first years." Neville shut the cart door, "At least the older students know to leave us alone."

"It's not bad." Lavender spoke, while looking at her reflection in the train window. "You can ask them to do anything, and they'll do it."

Hermione grimaced at the girl she would spend the rest of the year living with. I guess the war hadn't changed everyone. Hermione sat down, and left the chatting to Ginny, as she closed her eyes and tried to calm down. Things were going to tough this year, but she was a Gryffindor at heart and would strive through it.

An hour later, a third-year who looked vaguely familiar stuck his head in the door, and informed Hermione she was needed at the front of the train.

Hermione said her goodbyes, and went to the front of the train to find out what was going on. Walking by the different carts, she felt herself relaxing as she watched everyone settled in, and acting like nothing had happened the past year. There weren't a lot of 8th years to be seen, and in general the amount of students had shrunk down. The classes would be smaller, there would probably be more classes with more than one house. Hermione paused, as she heard a familiar snide voice from a cart ahead. Slytherin's, I guess some of them had returned after all, she glanced in the cart as she walked by. There were only a few of them, but she was surprised to find that they didn't seem like the same hateful children they had been before. Blaise Zambini sat closest to the door, he had never seemed like a threat to Hermione, always smiling, cunning, but not spiteful like the rest. Theodore Nott, lanky body leaned against the window, gazing out the window. Astoria Greengrass, sat next to Pansy Parkinson the two were snickering over a magazine. Lastly sat the cold-hearted boy of her past, Draco Malfoy, he seemed to have changed the most out of the group. She couldn't pin point it, but he seemed different.

She didn't have time to waste analyzing her mislead peers. She moved on down the train.

Draco Malfoy's day was not going as planned.

Not at all.

He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. After waking up this morning, his mother had practically smothered him. It had taken him all morning to convince her not to come to the train station. He was a grown man; he didn't need to be babied. Things hadn't improved either, as soon as he had reached the platform, the other students had begun whispering and pointing. At least they were keeping a wide berth away from him, too scared to approach the Slytherin. Even now, in the enclosure of a cart, the younger students would peak in and whisper. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the wall behind him. Playing nice wasn't going to be as easy as he originally thought.

Draco inhaled deeply, and relaxed into his seat as he took in a familiar scent of honey, and citrus. The pure scent unbound him, it was stronger this time. What was it?

"Was that who I think it was?" Astoria's voice broke the silence in the cart, pulling Draco out of his thoughts. The scent now forgotten. "No, it can't be. She hasn't been seen since the final battle."

"Who?" Theo leaned over to look out the cart door.

"Hermione Granger, I could have sworn she just walked by the cart. I must need my eyes checked." Astoria glanced back out the hall, before shaking her head.

Hermione Granger, when was the last time he had heard that name? He had assumed the mudblood had returned to her rightful place in the muggle world after the war.

"No, it probably was her, we saw her at Madam Malkin's ordering school robes a few weeks ago." Blaise cut in, nudging Theo. "This one was checking her out, before we realized who it was. Not that I can blame him, she's not the same little girl anymore."

Pansy scoffed. "What are you? A mudblood lover now?"

"Pansy, watch what you say." Draco grumbled from his seat. "We can't go around saying whatever we want anymore."

"What are you going to do, take points from me?" Pansy picked at her nails and rolled her eyes.

Why were girls so difficult? At first, Draco had hoped Pansy or Astoria would turn out to be his mate, much to his disappointment, he had no reaction to either of them. They both were perfect Malfoy brides, pureblood, well-mannered, and wealthy. His mother would have loved to bring one of them into their manner. Though after spending some time listening to the two of them gossip, Draco was thankful. Thankful that he felt no pull to them at all. He grimaced at the idea of spending the rest of his life with a chatty hen.

"Umm… Malfoy." A quiet voice spoke from the hall. A fifth year Ravenclaw prefect stepped hesitantly into the cart. "Professor Slughorn instructed me to tell you that you are in charge of patrolling the back half of the train, Head Girl is in charge of the front. Then there's going to be a meeting later."  
Looks like his down time was up. He nodded at the fifth year, time to play the part of Head Boy. Time to look for his mate.

"I'll see you guys later, at the entrance feast." Draco stood, and adjusted his clothes, before stepping into the hall.

Draco moved slowly through the train, checking the carts for sleeping students, and first years that were lost. Being a Malfoy had its perks, as he walked through the train, the students quieted and didn't bother approaching him. It wasn't until he reached the end of the train that he ran into a problem. A group of fourth year Slytherin's were bullying a first year, in the back cart.

The group of Slytherin's had successfully disarmed, and cast a stinging jinx on the first year student, when Draco reached the group. Looks like he was going to miss the meeting.

On the other end of the train, Hermione was trying to gather all the prefects together for the meeting. With the Head Boy still missing, she recruited Anthony Goldstein to help her present and keep the prefects inline for the time being.

"This year is going to be different, huh?" Anthony's liquid blue eyes met hers, as they dismissed the prefects to get the first years ready from the entrance ceremony. His eyes were soft, and they looked at her gently, as if she would break from the slightest pressure.

The war had been long, and hard. But she wasn't a silly little girl.

She broke eye contact with him. "Yes, it is Anthony." She sighed, changing the subject. "I thought you might be head boy, or Theodore Nott. Maybe a Hufflepuff, that would explain their tardiness."

Anthony's eyes widened quickly, before he cast his eyes downward. "You don't know?" He mumbled, not making eye contact with her.

"What is it Anthony?" She stepped towards him, something was amiss, the independent boy she knew had vanished with the question.

"Ugh…" He looked towards the door. "Nothing important, I need to go and check on the first years."

Hermione, raised her hand to gesture him back, but he slipped out the door before his sentence was finished. That little wanker, what did he know that she didn't. She ran her fingers through her hair, and closed her eyes. Something was wrong, why had he reacted that way?

She didn't have much time to ponder it, as she heard a commotion approach the cart. As she reached to open the door, it was slammed open and a group of fourth year Slytherin's appeared before her. They all had their heads bowed, and frowns ingrained on their faces.

She tilted her head, what was going on today, it was one thing after the next.

"Do we have too?" One of the students whined and shuffled their feet in front over her.

A hand pushed the fourth year's head down, "Yes, all of you apologize and then explain to our Head Girl why I missed a very important meeting."

Draco Malfoy stood before her, behind the group of students, with a grimace replacing his usual smirk. Before she could think more on his words the group of students all at once began blubbering before her.

"We're sorry! Don't give us detention with Hagrid!" The girl in the group cried, scrunching up her reddened face.

"We didn't mean it; we were only playing around!" A dark skinned boy groveled.

Malfoy's eye twitched. "Didn't mean it! You should be ashamed of yourself, be glad professor Snape isn't head of Slytherin anymore."

"Malfoy, what's going on?" Hermione, fed up with being out of the loop snapped.

"I caught these three dim wits, harassing a first year. They had him cornered in the back cart, while they practiced spells on him." Malfoy shot the group a fowl look, they all flinched under his gaze. "I missed the meeting, while I was separating them."  
Meeting? Why would he need to be at the meeting? "Where's the first year?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Healed, and back with his friends. He's fine now, I made them apologize to him. And I will be docking points from each of you after the entrance ceremony." He growled at the younger students. "This is no time for fighting, the war is over."

"But you'd be taking points from your own house!" The third student griped, wide-eyed at Malfoy.  
"So, what? Do you want me to take more points for disrespecting your superiors?" Malfoy waved his hand, "Get out of here before I give you detention, if I catch you again I'll be writing your parents."

The younger students ran off at the threat, glancing back at the two older students.

"Bloody kids, you think they'd learn." Malfoy sighed, as he sat down by the window. "So what did I miss?"

Hermione looked at the young man before her, his face looked aged years beyond his age. The war had effected everyone in its own way. Though even with his long face, everything else seemed impeccably in place, just like a Malfoy. She eyed his newly tailored robes, seemed to lack any dust –

What was that

Something silver on his robes caught her eye.

Please no.

"Granger?" Malfoy drawled out, as he shifted in his seat the silver badge on his robe reflected off the evening sun.

Oh no

"You're a prefect?" Hermione whispered out hopefully.

Malfoy shot her a look, before fingering his badge, moving it so she could read the engraving. 'Head Boy' flashed across the top of it.

"Head Boy? You?" Hermione choked out. Malfoy would be her counterpart for the next year. Malfoy.

"Did you not know?" Malfoy smirked up at her.

This would change things.

No wonder Anthony had run off when she had asked. Well he was right about this was going to be an interesting year.


End file.
